1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to musical instruments and especially to drums. In particular, the latch assembly of this invention is directed to drumhead securement.
2. Description of the Related Art
By way of background, drums are percussion instruments designed to produce rhythmic sound patterns. A typical drum construction includes a cylindrical drumshell having one or both of its ends covered by a drumskin or drumhead which is held over the ends by a hoop or rim. A plurality of tension bolts, also referred to as tuning rods are placed through apertures in the rim at uniformly spaced intervals along the rim. The tension bolts are threaded into respective tension brackets mounted around the drumshell. The bolt may be tightened with a drum key for threadably engaging the bracket. Preferably each bolt is tightened the same amount to apply a uniform tension to the drumhead until a desired sound and pitch is achieved.
When a drumhead is removed, such as for repair or replacement, each of the bolts must be disengaged from the respective bracket to permit the rim to be lifted off the drumshell thereby releasing the drumhead. A new or replacement drumhead may then be fitted over the end of the drumshell and each of the bolts is reinstalled. This requires a re-tuning of the drumhead. The procedure is time consuming and can be distressful to musicians if the need to replace the drumhead should occur during a performance.
Drummers are also faced with another problem. A typical percussion instrument setup includes several drums of different types and sizes, cymbals, stands for supporting the instruments, and related apparatus. The logistics involved in transporting drum outfits to and from performance venues could be greatly simplified if space-saving consolidation, such as nestable storage of one drum within another, could be practically implemented. However, this would require a readily removable drumhead.
A further deficiency of the previously described threaded drumhead attachment devices is that the drumming vibrations and stress placed upon the drumhead and drumshell during a musical performance tend to create slack in the threaded bracket connection so as to require re-tuning of the drumhead.
Several devices have attempted to overcome some of these shortcomings. For example, the device of U.S. Pat. No. 3,533,324 utilizes a toggle lock having a yolk member that is removably attachable to a bracket affixed to the drumshell. The yolk member remains attached to a tension rod when the rim is removed. This is not a practical solution in that it is cumbersome to reattach the yolk member to the bracket when reinstalling the drumhead. Also, free rotation of the removed yolk member may inadvertently change the tension setting and necessitate re-tuning.
The lug assembly shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,693,163 relies upon a kidney-shaped slot to provide clearance for the lug assembly to be slipped off a receiver nut to release a tension rod before the drumhead can be released. The tension rod must be partially unthreaded from the receiver nut for removal and consequently the drumhead must be re-tuned.
The drumhead tightening arrangement shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,694,726 employs a tension bolt threaded to a pin lodged within an elongated plate. The plate remains attached to the bolt when the drumhead is released and unintentional movement of the plate may loosen the threaded connection.
Furthermore, the aforementioned devices do not address the problem of maintaining the integrity of the drumhead tension setting during play.
To briefly summarize, the invention concerns a quick release latch assembly for securement of a drumhead retained over an end of a drumshell by a rim. A plurality of tension bolts are supported from the rim and depend along the drumshell at uniformly spaced intervals. A keeper member is threadably engaged with an end portion of the bolt. The keeper member includes a locking lug. A bracket member is mounted to the drumshell in alignment with the respective bolt. The bracket member includes an operating lever mechanically linked to a locking member. The keeper member is slidably accommodatable within the bracket member. The operating lever is angularly displaceable in a first direction to position the locking member in engagement with the locking lug. A force is generated on the locking lug when the operating lever is displaced in a second direction. The force is transmitted through the keeper member and the tension bolt to the drumhead.
The magnitude of the force can be varied, for adjusting drumhead tension, by changing the relative location of the keeper member along the end portion of the tension bolt. The tension setting remains unchanged when the keeper member is removed from the bracket member. The force applied to the keeper member also prevents the keeper member from unfastening.
A feature of this invention is the ease and swiftness of drumhead removal and reattachment. This can be achieved, with some practice, by touch and without visible inspection. The effectiveness of the procedure makes nestable storage a practical option.
In view of the foregoing, it should be apparent that the present invention overcomes many of the deficiencies of the prior art and provides an improved quick release latch assembly for a drumhead.
Having thus summarized the invention, it will be seen that it is a preferred object thereof to provide an improved quick release latch assembly for a drumhead of the general character described herein which is not subject to the aforementioned shortcomings.
Another preferred object of this invention is to provide a release latch assembly that does not require re-tuning upon drumhead replacement.
A further preferred object of this invention is to provide a release latch assembly that maintains drumhead tension during play.
Still another preferred object of this invention is to provide a release latch assembly that is readily adaptable for retrofitting with a conventional musical drum.
Yet still another preferred object of this invention is to provide a release latch assembly that is practical to use, reliable in operation, attractive in appearance, simple in design and economical to manufacture.
With these ends in view, the invention finds the embodiment in certain combinations of elements and arrangements of parts by which the aforementioned preferred objects and certain other objects are hereinafter attained, or as more fully described with reference to the accompanying drawings and the scope of which is more particularly pointed out and indicated in the appended claims.